Design Society - A Communication Revolution for the Fashion Industry

Design Society is based in Dallas and we welcome them as a Haute Sponsor for The Lone Star Ladies Present: Shop Austin!

For designers that want to promote, network, learn, share ideas, sales and marketing - Design Society is a website made just for you! As a new designer, do you know how to promote or where to sell your creations, or maybe you want to be a featured designer? Jacqueline Mccann, the mastermind behind Design Society, is using her first-hand experience in the fashion industry to start a Communication Revolution! Design Society strives to be the social network for designers to produce, promote and sell their fabulous creations.

Models need not worry as Jacqueline wants to promote you as well - Design Society hosted a designer and modeling contest at the Lizard Lounge (Dallas) in December. Check out the locker room pics, and the winning model won a photo shoot!

Look for their contribution to our fabulous goodie bags!

XO,
Allison

www.TheLoneStarLadies.com
Formerly known as "The Bearded Ladies Present"

"This Ain't Your Gramma's Embroidery" - Sublime Stitching - The Newest Happening Sponsor!

I was first introduced to Sublime Stitching a couple of years ago by my youngest sister, Anne Marie, and partner in crime for The Lone Star Ladies. Actually, she did not introduce me, but my youngest daughter, Erin! Erin loves to embroider and was taught by her Nana (my mom) many years ago as a creative "something to do" while hangin' out at Nana's house - Erin has since taught several of her friends. My mom would trace different designs on cloth for Erin and Greta (my oldest) - Greta went on to sew and knit, but Erin still loves embroidery. As a gift one year, Erin received two patterns - Darling Dachshunds and Cat-a-Rama. Many gifts to friends, family and an occasional teacher came from these two patterns, and Erin and Greta started a craft group for homeschooled girls. Erin taught everyone in that group how to embroider; Greta taught them how to knit.

I find Sublime Stitching fascinating and refreshing. The iron on patterns come with easy instructions, or you can get a kit with everything you need! "Sublime Stitching is the original independent company that fired up the needlework revolution for the DIY movement and is the driving force enticing anyone and everyone to try embroidery." The company is based in Austin, TX and was started by Jenny Hart in 2001 - her frustration with a lack of variety and relevant patterns led to an embroidery revolution! You can shop online and find patterns, kits, tools, textiles, books and gifts. Sublime Stitching also promotes "Stitching Groups" and you can purchase a Stitchin' Bee Kit to make it easy to start! The Lone Star Ladies Present: Shop Austin is proud to have Sublime Stitching as a Happening Sponsor and our first 30 shoppers will be thrilled to find something special from them in our Goodie Bags!

XO,
Allison

www.TheLoneStarLadies.com
Formerly known as "The Bearded Ladies Present"

Welcome to Our Newest Team Member!

Kat Salvante has joined the ranks of The Lone Star Ladies! Kat is a superstar seamstress and all around fun girl who has been my assistant for 2 1/2 years. Every week I get to see her smiling face and tell her crazy stories and dirty jokes while we sew. See this blog post for details on her ingenuity!

Kat has become an integral part of my little business, and she was a natural fit for The Lone Star Ladies Present: Shop Austin. Kat is going to be working with us in advertising and marketing - look for her bubbly personality to pop into your store soon and ask you if you want to join forces with us as a Sponsor!

Allison has been writing some great blogs lately - especially about our Sponsors. Events like ours just couldn't happen without the support of the local business community. We are planning an event like no other - and really want our fabulous Artists and featured Sponsors to shine!

Welcome to the team, Kat!

xo, Anne Marie

www.TheLoneStarLadies.com
Formerly known as "The Bearded Ladies Present"

Newest Sponsor - Greenling.com - Delivering Local and Organic Food to Your Doorstep!

For Greenling.com, it's all about - The Customer, Building Relationships, Integrity, Sustainability, Making a Difference, Depending on Each Other, and Being Driven - and we are proud to have Greenling.com as one of our Haute Sponsors for The Lone Star Ladies Present: Shop Austin!

All great companies have great stories - Greenling.com started at First Thursday on SoCo by bribing people (with free beer) to fill out surveys about the idea of an organic food delivery service - the results were positive, so they started in a garage (sounds like other great Texas companies we know!). Their very first delivery was made on May 12th to Brook & Ken Son and they are still customers today!

Through trial and error they learned that fruits and vegetables like to hang out in very specific conditions and through tips from customers and suppliers, they became more knowledgeable and successful. Success - it also meant they were too big for that garage and their personal cars were looking a little worn and used! What to do - they decided to take a leap of faith and moved into a warehouse, bought a truck and a walk-in cooler they promptly painted green (best quote from their landlord - "Well, I have to keep reminding myself that I'm in Austin .....if the neighbors don't complain, I guess you can leave it green"). They're still growing their company, customer list and commitment to their mission - we think it is a great company that you should give a try, and you can sample some of their yummy goodness at our show - and maybe find a surprise from them in our Goodie Bags if you are one of the first 30 shoppers!

You can follow Mason's Blog (they call him The Cookie Monster!) or the Greenling.com Blog as well. You can check out how it works by clicking on the pic below!XO,
Allison

www.TheLoneStarLadies.com
Formerly known as "The Bearded Ladies Present"

Need a Little Sweetness in Your Life - Hey Cupcake!

A giant pink twirling cupcake on top of a shiny Airstream trailer - need I say more? You know who I'm talking about - Hey Cupcake!

We are happy to announce that while you're shopping at The Lone Star Ladies Present: Shop Austin, you can forgo the need to leave for nourishment as we will have ALL that mankind ever needed in life - cupcakes - sold in our Cafe by Hey Cupcake!



What's your favorite flavor? I'm a Snowcap or Michael Jackson kind of girl - give me the chocolate! (Sometimes it's worth the extra $ for that cream cheese frosting!) Ever since my 13th birthday, the chocolate cake with the cream cheese or vanilla frosting has been my favorite cake - yum! Now I can have one of those perfect confections in a "guilt free" cupcake...ummm, well, maybe - have you seen the size of the Hey Cupcake? Wes and the rest of the gang better bring plenty 'o milk - it might help offset my sugar coma...I feel it comin' on right now - yum!

You can find Hey Cupcake in two Austin locations these days, 1600 South Congress Ave, 78704 (one block South of Gueros) and 5530 Burnet Road, 78756.

XO,
Allison

P.S. Don't forget to make mine a Whipper Snapper!




www.TheLoneStarLadies.com
Formerly known as "The Bearded Ladies Present"

Beauty Lounge Sponsor - Sarita Richmond, Independent Sales Director of Mary Kay

The Lone Star Ladies Present: Shop Austin will also be offering our shoppers a fantastic Beauty Lounge!

Sarita Richmond, an Independent Sales Director with Mary Kay and her fabulous team will be providing free facials and makeovers, AND will be donating to our fabulous Goodie Bags!

Why Mary Kay - well, the answer is easy for me, Allison, to explain! About 16 years ago I started using Mary Kay Skin Care and Color. My skin looks great and feels wonderful and I get fantastic customer service that is personalized for me! Three things I don't do anymore since using Mary Kay - (1) Stand there staring at the makeup aisle(s) dumbfounded by the hundreds of choices and wonder "which one should I try this time...?" (2) Stand at a makeup counter in a department store and wonder why I need to spend my child's college fund on a bottle the size of my pinky! (3) Worry about whether or not there is a satisfaction guarantee with the product I am buying - with Mary Kay there always is! Needless to say - I am a fan, so when my sister and I were brainstorming about Beauty Lounge Sponsors, I knew where to turn.

I recently did an interview with Sarita Richmond, and here are some highlights:

Why did you start selling MK?
I started selling Mary Kay when I was 8 months pregnant with my 3rd child. I was looking for something that I could do without forsaking my children and to make the most money in a short time. I also had been searching in the work force. The corporate "work force" was offering me low pay, 39 1/2 hours a week and no benefits, no flexibility, lack of growth and more. I went to an event where I saw sharp, professional and happy women. National Sales Director Cindy Williams and the Directors in the room really impressed me. I saw the lives they were living and I wanted what they had. Another huge plus was that as a mother of almost 3 I couldn't afford the skin care and I LOVED it!

When did you start and how long has it been?
June 16 of 2004....so about 4 1/2 years

What has made it a success?
The success is in never giving up. I have gone out of my comfort zone to talk to people I didn't know and have met some of the most wonderful people who are now my customers, in our unit and my friends.

What is the best thing MK has done for you and your family?
Mary Kay has been very supportive of me and my family. I think the most touching thing that Mary Kay has done for us is send us a hand written note from Corporate when we had a very sudden and unexpected death in the family. It was also addressed to me and my husband. We also experienced a lot of support with the birth of our 4th child from our Mary Kay family of directors, National Sales Directors and consultants.

Have you ever won an awesome prize - if so, what?
I have earned a car and took the cash option to pay for our children's private education tuition.

What do you think about MK's new mineral line?
The mineral line is light, non transferable and the mineral colors are fade resistant. I love it!!!

What kind of experience will our customers have at the Beauty Lounge?
Every woman can expect individual attention to be pampered by professional women who are trained in skin care and color techniques. We have the number one selling brand in skin care and color and would be happy to introduce it to those who have never tried it.

In closing, I also like the fact that Mary Kay is a Dallas company - GO TEXAS - and that it promotes the idea of women being in business for themselves!

XO,
Allison

www.TheLoneStarLadies.com
Formerly known as "The Bearded Ladies Present"

Annoucing our Newest Sponsor - Storyville!

Storyville Apparel in Austin, Texas is a family owned business. Run primarily by brothers Gabe and Josh, the boutique on UT's famous Drag features t-shirts and hip accessories made by local Austinites, UT Students, and artists from across the US.
















Storyville was founded in Baton Rougue, Louisiana by the Harvey Durham family. Since The Lone Star Ladies is also a family operation - we were thrilled to add Storyville to our rapidly growing list of event Sponsors for The Lone Star Ladies Present: Shop Austin, 2009.









You can find a great selection of *annemarie*'s Mini Wallets and Cosmetic Bags at both Storyville Apparel Locations, along with unique Designer T-Shirts.










If you want to Sponsor The Lone Star Ladies Present: Shop Austin, please look over our fabulous Sponsor Packet and contact us for more info.


Thanks to Storyville Apparel for their support! Please visit their website and store to shop local Austin!

xo, Anne Marie

www.TheLoneStarLadies.com
Formerly known as "The Bearded Ladies Present"